


Come out and play

by AburameQueen3, blue_whalen



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Conflict with Horde Prime will come later, Entrapta helps him to be better, F/M, Rating May Change, This will completely ignore the last season probably, hordak is sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:20:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27287074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AburameQueen3/pseuds/AburameQueen3, https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_whalen/pseuds/blue_whalen
Summary: What if Hordak had found out that Catra lied and gone to rescue Entrapta from Beast Island? How different could things have gone? Would Hordak choose Horde Prime or his beloved lab parter?A completely different take on the show beyond the end of season three. A canon divergence teeming with fluff, angst, and adventure!
Relationships: Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 41





	1. I will follow you into the dark

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a collaborative mix of my own writing(Hordak and the main plot) and the lovely @AburameQueen3 who wrote for Entrapta and edited our messy work into something readable!
> 
> I warn, there is a lot of creative liberty with Hordak’s past, since they didn't tell us much, and the path of the story. It will not be the same. But I can promise it will be interesting at least!
> 
> P.S the story’s name and chapter names are cute love songs! Look them up! This chapter is named for the song “I will follow you into the dark” by Death Cab For Cutie and the story is named after “Come out and play” by Billie Eilish!

Hordak slammed his fist against the wall angrily, denting it under his robotic fist. The portal and all of his plans were in ruins. Everything he had worked towards all these years had just blown up right in his face. The Horde had been forced to flee to an older, unused base with their tails tucked. He should be furious. Even murderous with rage. And normally, he would be. But something had changed in him. His rage was replaced with sorrow and longing for... something. Someone?

It was Her fault. A princess he never should have trusted. But how could he not? He’d never had another person to lean on or trust. The life of a clone wasn’t a kind one, especially a defective one. But she understood him in a way even he didn’t. She was like him, defective and ostracized by the rest. He believed her. He felt himself falling...

No. She had betrayed him. She let the other princesses into the base. She was a princess. Princesses are monsters that cannot be trusted under any circumstances.

But he did trust her... and that made it hurt all the more. The way she smiled at him made something in his stomach churn. But not in a bad way. And even when he sent her out with his yelling and rage, she came right back fearlessly.

He could have sworn that she forced him to try her suit and eat because she cared for him. His mind drifted back to the words that nearly stopped his heart. She said his imperfections were beautiful... no clone could ever think that. Only her... with her unguarded smile, infectious and excited, and her beautiful...

A surge of pain ghosted through him, violently ripping him from his thoughts. His suit had been damaged. Right... he was back to trying to figure out this suit on his own. If he got it wrong, it would kill him again as it had been doing before. He gritted his teeth in irritation.

“Dak...?” A distant voice called. “Hordak!” His eyes snapped open when Scorpia called his name. “Sir, what are your orders? Are we going to take back the lab? Or... Go to beast island...?”

Hordak growled. “Why would we go to Beast Island? It’s an island filled with monsters and unpredictable weather. It’s a suicide flight.”

“Well... because Entrapta accidentally got sent there...” Scorpia said nervously. It sounded more like a question rather than a statement. Just like everyone else, Scorpia rightfully feared him. She didn’t try to help him or get him to think better of himself. Fearful as a minion should be.

But Her name swelled up a new wave of crushing pain in his chest. Was this what caring about someone felt like? It was horrid. He covered his sorrow with a new wave of anger. His blood-red eyes narrowed into a glare at the rejected princess. 

“It was no accident. The traitor was sent there because she let her comrades in. She’ll be dead soon enough.” He growled, but felt something prickle in his eyes, like needles in the flesh. What was this malfunction?

“But... she didn’t! They came in through the sewer. Entrapta was nowhere near there! She was poking around in the lab. I’m positive that she had nothing to do with them getting in.” She said.

The feeling was like he was punched in the gut. If what Scorpia was saying was true, Entrapta’s body could already be growing cold on an island that was the closest thing to hell that his mind could conjure. All for nothing. He could have let Her, his only friend and support, die for nothing. This thought hurt less than the idea that she had betrayed him, but it still made his body go frigid and ache in places he didn’t even know could hurt this much.

“Catra. Catra said that She let them in. Are you suggesting that Catra lied to me?” His voice came out so quiet. He felt pathetic for it. But he couldn’t summon the energy or anger to be his assertive self right now. His world was crumbling at his feet.

“Uh... no. No, that’s not it.” Scorpia said carefully. She didn’t want Catra killed over this. “I heard that she got her information from... elsewhere. She was just trying to do what was best for the Horde. Just like you, she was deceived. But you know she would never lie to you, Lord Hordak.”

Silence rang out between them. It was deafening. Scorpia was fretting over the fact that she may have sold her best friend out to be killed. However, Hordak wasn’t thinking about Catra at all. He couldn’t care less about her at this moment. All he could hear was the sound of his own blood rushing through him, and all he could think about was Entrapta.

After what felt like an agonizing eternity, Hordak spoke. “Prepare a transport.” He stated simply. Scorpia wanted to say and ask more, but she settled for a quick “sir” and a quicker retreat from him.

The very moment Hordak was alone again, he fell apart. He gripped desperately at the wall for support and begged his lungs for the air they were depriving him of. But he was still breathing. It just didn’t feel that way. 

What was this? His chest tightened so much that it hurt and his eyes grew strangely moist. Was this some reaction to his damaged suit? Was he having an episode? This didn't feel like the usual pain of an episode.

He sank down to sit, shaking legs unable to hold him up any longer. He had to snap out of this if he was going to have any chance of saving her in time. How long had it been since she was sent to beast island? Hours. She was a princess, but she wouldn’t have any tech with her. And her hair wasn’t enough to protect her from the creatures that awaited her.

His throat went dry as an image flashed colourfully into his mind. It was of Entrapta, lying dead on the sand. Her bubblegum hair and pale skin were smeared in rusty red blood. Creatures surrounded her and began tearing away at limbs and flesh. The beasts ripped her still wriggling innards out hungrily and gorged themselves on her.

His stomach flopped at the imagined sight and he almost vomited on the floor. His world went squiggly and black splotches played at his vision. Air wasn’t getting to his brain and he felt the void of exhaustion and sleep reaching out to rake its cold hand down his body. Giving in to sleep would be so relieving right now...

No. He couldn’t. Not while she needed him. His body protested, but he forced himself back to his shaky feet. His vision was still blurred, but he ignored it as best he could. 

He walked towards the transport bay. The heat radiating out of his ears made it nearly impossible to hear anything around him. He saw Scorpia ordering people about a mid-size carrier. He summoned all his authoritative strength and marched passed them.

“I am taking this vessel. Alone. Do not follow me, or you will be punished. Carry on the preparation of this base, I will return in a matter of days. Or I won’t, and you can continue the horde your own way.” He hissed. Whatever her response was lost on him. He boarded the vessel and took off on his own.

It had been many years since he last piloted a vessel of this size on his own, but even in his corrupted state, he was a great pilot. The flight dragged on, and his mind wandered. 

Hordak thought back to his academy days and the ones after he had been found defective. Horde Prime expected the best of his clones. Prime was a combat specialist. He had mastered every known form of combat in a remarkable time. His clones were equally skilled in combat.

At least, the clones that weren't defective.

Hordak showed more skill in flight simulators and strategic planning. His strategy kept him safe in the academy, but once his deterioration began he only grew weaker and weaker. When it came to combat, he almost always lost to his stronger and more aggressive “brothers”. This was always a disappointment to Prime.

He vividly remembered the torture and experimentation that always followed his failed matches. It was a combination of punishment and an attempt to work out what had gone awry with Hordak, the once-great general.

His focus waned as the memories of his youth took ahold of his mind and muddied his vision.

~~

The needles penetrated every inch of his skin, from his fingers tips to his eyes. Hordak was immobilized, but he still felt every bit of pain. He wanted to cry out in agony, but his jaw remained latched shut. Even if he weren’t paralyzed, he would never dare show that weakness. If he ever did, the torment would be nastier the next day.

The liquid that was pumped into him burned like acid in his flesh. But he was accumulating to the burning. Even he had grown anxious to figure out what was defective in himself. Whatever the measures, he would take them if it meant becoming normal.

But today was another failed test. They left again with no explanation. So he was left to limp in shame back to his bunk, acid still tearing through his body. Sleep would be impossible tonight. For many reasons.

He was supposed to be off conquering in the name of Horde Prime as he once had. Instead, he spent each day failing and being mocked by “brothers” that were more than ten cycles younger than him. He was regressing in skill and strength. Sensing this, they beat him in new and worse ways each night after practice without mercy. He was worthless to the empire now and they knew it.

All he desired was their respect and a chance to prove himself worthy of existence once more. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he was executed for being dysfunctional if he could not prove himself stronger then his defect.

He entered the pitiful room that was used to store untested clones. He should have a private General’s room, rather than this pathetic excuse for a closet shared with a youngling. He sighed in frustration and that was the moment he saw it. On the desk in the bunker he shared with the other clone, he saw the bright red envelope that detailed his brother’s first mission. 

His shaky claws closed around the missive. He tore it open and read the writing. It detailed the hostile takeover of a small icy planet in the Gruthum system. It was a straightforward and easy task, but his blood boiled. His bunkmate was cycles younger than him and foolish with adolescence. How had he earned the right to even a simple mission when Hordak lingered here every day being tortured and tried? It wasn’t fair.

Hordak was a tested general. He admitted that he didn't do the fighting himself, but what good is an army without a plan? His mind was FAR more valuable than any strength the others possessed. Just because he left the killing to others, didn't mean he was weak. But despite his experience, this child was getting a mission while he was sent to fight and die on a suicide mission.

He turned to look at his sleeping “brother” and his resentment grew. The boy was the same size and height, they were practically identical despite the age gap. The only real difference was that the boy had shaved his hair down to only a line down the ridge of his skull, while Hordak’s had grown rather unkempt and feral.

That’s when it hit him. The idea. The despicable idea. If he failed, he would be even more of a failure than before and quickly killed for sure. But if it succeeded... his skill would no longer be doubted and he wouldn't be humiliated any longer. The risk was high, but it was worth it.

Hordak could never hope to take his brother in combat, not in his current state, armed or not. But he had the strategic advantage. His brother was asleep. Hordak pulled the laces from his boots and twisted them together. If this was to work, the rope couldn’t break. Once he felt as sure as he could, he lept to action. 

Hordak wrapped the makeshifts noose around his brother’s throat. His brother writhed and kicked in a desperate struggle for life, but Hordak pressed them back to back and sank to the floor, keeping the pressure on his throat. Hordak felt himself grow queasy as his heart hammered a frantic rhythm in his chest.

Was this what it felt like to take a life? All those souls he had condemned... Could he have done this himself? Was this his weakness?

Soon the struggling ceased, and only a sickening silence filled the room. Hordak stayed like this, despite the absence of struggle, with the noose digging painfully into his hands. He couldn't feel the injury through the numbing guilt of his actions. His mind rang out, pleading for forgiveness and screaming over his act of revolting betrayal.

“What have I done? Oh, ancients... forgive me...” he mumbled over and over to nobody but himself. Any gods had stopped listening to his traitorous words. He had killed another being with his own hands, and there was no redemption for that. He broke down and shook relentlessly. 

How had he never thought about the people that died in this war? He hid behind maps and screens, planning a war like a game of chess. He pretended the people were just little black and white character pieces with no lives or thoughts. But now he felt the truth. He felt the life leave his brother.

Hours passed, the only sounds in the room were his quiet sobs and trembling breath. He loathed himself now, more than ever before. But if this death was to mean anything, he had to proceed to the next phase of his plan. He couldn't get caught in the morality of his actions now.

He released the rope and a new wave of sickness hit him as he looked upon the corpse of his brother. Identical eyes to his own stared empty and lifeless back at him. It was a stark reminder of his own mortality.

Hordak moved away from the body and instead began to cut and shave his own hair until he only had a thin line of hair running down the center of his scalp that resembled his brother’s. When the dawn came, he donned his brother’s armor and went to depart on the mission he had won through slaughter.

He would be long gone before anyone found the body he had hidden, and it would be even longer before they identified which clone it was. He assumed the identity of the soul he had ended and began his mission. He had to make the sacrifice of his own soul and his brother’s worthwhile.

~~

Hordak was violently torn from his traumatic memories by something striking his vessel. He scanned the windows and found, to his horror, an enormous tentacle encircling his ship. He had heard the outlandish rumors about what lurked on and around Beast Island, but since nobody had ever reached there and survived, he took the tales with a grain of salt. But now that he was faced with the harsh reality, it was so much worse than he imagined. This leviathan had to be massive in order to halt a large vessel this high in the air.

Lights and alarms sounded distractingly around him as he tried desperately to remove his ship from this beast’s grasp. A message alerted him that his port side engine had been ripped free from the vessel. Great.

He cursed loudly as he prepared and fired several shots into the water where the creature looked to be. A horrid cry informed him that he’d hit a bullseye. The creature released the ship and he was abruptly reminded that the vessel was heavily damaged and missing an engine.

Hordak’s transport vessel turned into a coffin as it screamed through the sky at an alarming speed before colliding with the sand of Beast Island. He turned the ship hard to slow the coasting and minimize the creator he would have to climb out of. Assuming he survived the crash at all.

As the ship’s skidding reached a halt, he was amazed to find himself alive and mostly unharmed. Whiplash and bruising were all he had to show for the event. He would survive, but if he ever intended to leave this island he would need to retrieve and repair his lost engine. It would be a simple enough task with Entrapta.

Entrapta... he hadn’t allowed his mind to utter her name until now. What if she had betrayed him? Was he rescuing a traitor and possibly killing himself along the way? But if she wasn’t a traitor... was he already too late? Beast island is a vicious place..., especially for an easily distracted princess. But there was only one way to find out.

Hordak broke open the emergency roof hatch and hoisted himself up out of the vessel. Pulling himself out was a painful task with his bruised ribs and failing body. He wondered if he would actually survive the deterioration of his body long enough to find his lost princess.

Shoving those thoughts aside, he surveyed the surrounding landscape for any sign of Entrapta. Logically, he knew she wouldn't enter the forest unarmed, the beach was much safer and his best bet for finding her. Curiously he found the sands to be dappled in strange pitfall traps. He made mental note to avoid them, lest he discover what predator made them.

He climbed down the least steep slope, but still found himself plummeting to the bottom with a thud. Ow, that would hurt later. Ignoring that as well, he carefully combed the beach for signs of Entrapta. Or her body... So he set out walking.

Further along the coastline, there was a large hull-shaped imprint in the sand, evidence of a ship’s fleeting presence. This ship looked to have gently landed, rather than the wreck of Hordak’s own vessel. Not far from that was a much smaller indentation, a messy yet relatively human-sized crater. This conjured images of Entrapta being harshly shoved out of the transport before she was abandoned in this hell. Hordak felt the bile rise in his throat as he thought about how scared she must have been... And about how he failed to be there to protect her.

No, now was not the time for that. A brief scan revealed a trail of footsteps that lead from the indentation. It was clear that whoever left it hadn’t made an effort to cover up their trail. Hordak felt thankful that Entrapta had never learned to cover her tracks. It would be much harder to follow her if she had been through the same training he had.

The tracks led Hordak down a long, winding path with several loops and various detours. This included at least a dozen laps around one of the pitfall holes. He started to wonder exactly how long she had spent out in the open, distracted by everything. And how she hadn't been caught by something.

He followed the footprints apprehensively. It wasn't long before the tracks very abruptly grew further apart in what appeared more like a running gait. The addition of deep, stab-like prints in the sand revealed what she had fled from. His worst fears and thoughts resurfaced with the grim picture the footsteps painted. The human footsteps disappeared, replaced by broader, more swishing dabs like those of a paintbrush. At one point along the trail, there was a tuft of purple hair, slowly wriggling in the sand. 

Hordak raced forward and scooped up the hair. He didn't really need to pick it up to know it was hers, but a nagging feeling made him wonder if this was all he would find left of her. Panic took hold and he took off into a sprint. His body ached and complained about the effort, but his resolve demanded that he find her.

He threw caution and all of his survival training to the wind, all that mattered to him now was finding her. ”Entrapta! ENTRAPTA! Where are you!?” he yelled, minded racing as fast as his feet. His head was on a swivel, hunting for the slightest sign of her.

It wasn’t much longer before he heard the frustrated snarling of a massive predator still on the chase. The closer he got, the more he could hear the muffled sounds of a familiar woman’s voice mixed in between the beast’s growls. Entrapta had wedged herself into a miniature cave and seemed to be trying to reason with the mechanical insectoid beast as it reached a clunky limb around the crevice in an attempt to fish her out. 

“While I personally understand and appreciate the value of tiny snacks, I would hardly consider myself a worthwhile meal! I mean really, nobody likes finding hair in their- Aah! Almost got me there. Nobody likes hair in their food, can you imagine a whole mouthful that’s little more than hair? Surely you must see the absence of logic in this pursuit.” She let out another short squeak as the hunter drew closer.

Hordak hesitated, calculating his approach and survival odds. He had minimal weaponry and a lack of advantage in this foreign place. But whatever he had was better than the princess. The next yelp from Entrapta sealed his resolve. He was a strategic master, and now was the time to prove it.

The beast was substantially sized but not enormous, hefty, and clearly very feral. Luckily, it didn't appear very clever, seeing as it hadn't worked out how to get Entrapta out of such an insubstantial shelter. This meant he would have to outmaneuver and hopefully outrun this thing.

Hordak cleared his throat when his plan was cemented in his mind. ”I don't think this witless beast will be able to comprehend any of what you say. If it was smart enough to understand you, it would have eaten you already.” His voice cut through the air surprisingly easily, despite all the nasty growling. The creature stilled. As soon as the beast’s knife-like foot was retracted, Entrapta tried to wriggle out of the cave. She found herself stuck between wedges of rock, but persisted determinedly. “Hordak?” She called out, in a combination of confusion and hope.

The beast’s many glowing eyes narrowed on the new prey. Only a fraction of a second passed in the silence before Hordak ran with the beast in hot pursuit. By the time Entrapta freed herself from the cave, Hordak was far off with the creature in pursuit. She ran after her lab partner, lifting herself up on prehensile hair for quicker travel. “Hordak, it really is you!” 

Hordak skillfully looped about the beach to disorient his aggressor and relieve the suspension of a trap. He was glad to find that he was much more agile and better at quick turns. But this chase was depleting what energy reserves he had left, so he had to end this swiftly.

With one last decisive sharp turn, Hordak bounded over the largest pitfall trap he had found. The jump required a boost forward from the damaged jets in his suit for him to clear the pit, but it was still a close shave. The beast wasn't so lucky, however. A quadrant of toothy crocodilian-like jaws sprung forth from their hiding spots in the earthy walls of the trench and snapped around the unlucky victim. Squeals and scratching were the dominant sound as the beast was dragged down into the pit by the unseen hunter.

Hordak stared down into the void, both in awe of the larger beast, and wisely uneasy by its presence. He made a mental note not to cut it that close to the pits again. He did not wish to see the bottom of this trap.

As Entrapta caught up with him at the edge of the pit, she lowered back down to her feet and lifted up the welding mask that had previously been covering her face. She shone a brilliant smile, despite the presence of a rather large scratch down one of her cheeks. A few darkening bruises were also visible on the parts of her skin that showed, but she was otherwise just as he remembered, enthusiasm unrivaled. Her smile felt like a punch to the gut after he had imagined her dead for so long.

“What are you doing here? Oh, let me guess, research! You really are a devoted scientist, coming all the way out to what I’ve deduced must be Beast Island. What a coincidence! It’s great to see you!” She started buzzing around him, walking in rapid circles as she talked. “Although, it seems in your explorations you’ve sustained some external damage. This is a fantastic opportunity to make further improvements to your armor.”

Hordak lunged out and captured her shoulders. ”Cease this. I've not come here for analysis. Is it true that you let the other princesses into our fortress?” His voice was steady and numb, carefully refusing to hint to the whirlwind of emotion he felt at seeing her alive, and the crushing feeling of guilt when he saw that new face wound.

Entrapta stared up at him with confusion, tilting her head slightly. “I already told you everything that happened that day, don’t you remember? To summarize, the Princess Alliance breached the horde base in a group effort, rescued Glimmer and Bow while I mostly played around with Emily, and then left without me. I was taken prisoner by Catra, then soon released to help upgrade tech and run my experiments. And then I met you, and we became lab partners. Adora says they thought I was dead, but none of that matters now because I’m with you. At the time of the breach I hadn’t yet had much exposure to horde tech, so I couldn’t have been the one to let them in even if I had been assigned that task. At least, not in the limited amount of time they allotted. With more time to experiment, I suppose I could have. It’s been months, why are you asking about this now?”

He sighed softly. “No, this time. Yesterday, when they seized our headquarters. Catra said that you were the one that let them in... is that true?”

“Yesterday? But they didn’t...” her brows furrowed in thought and she looked down to the sand, a small tuft of hair making its way to her chin like a pensive finger. “They must have come for Adora... but it had to have been after I was rendered unconscious, considering my absence of data on this event.” She looked back up at him, confusion quickly fading. “No, I never cleared access for the princesses. I was running tests on the portal and came to the conclusion that it wasn’t yet safe to run. I was coming to tell you, but...” her expression showed a tint of hurt. “I was zapped before I could. Hence the lack of consciousness.” She quickly blinked away the painful memory and grew a determined look as she stared fearlessly into those red eyes. “I don’t know why Catra said what she said. But one thing that I do know for a fact is that I would never betray the trust of my lab partner. And you know how seriously I take facts! I’m happy with you, Hordak. I love that we can experiment together, and make amazing new discoveries every day. You’re the only biotic friend I’ve never thought I’d eventually lose. I may be a princess, but I’m your lab partner first and foremost.”

Hordak breathed a sigh of relief. But despite that relief, he now felt the cold grasp of guilt. ”Entrapta... I... I doubted you when I should have trusted you. I've... Never had a partner before. Or anyone to trust... But I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that. I'm... Sorry.”

Her smile returned. “I forgive you! Truthfully, I don’t consider that thought process something you need to apologize for. It’s just a disproven hypothesis.” She looked back to his armor, reentering her analysis mode. “As for the damage sustained in this particular adventure, it should be a relatively quick fix. I don’t have all my tools on hand, but a good scientist is always prepared. I have enough to work with! You know, in the past, when my friends broke I would just make new ones. But I always fixed my most special few. Can I tell you a secret?” She elevated herself on her hair, getting herself to eye level and whispering rather loudly. “You’re my favorite! Oh but don’t tell Emily, I’d never hear the end of it!” She let out a little laugh. “Good thing she can’t read First One’s writing, or it’d be pretty obvious.” She lowered back to her feet and gently tapped the emblem she had embedded into his armor with obscure squiggles of first one’s lettering.

Hordak tilted his head to the side in a questioning look. ”I do not read first one’s writing. It never mattered before you. What does it mean?”

She seemed surprised as she looked back up to him. “You don’t? Oh, I thought you’d been reading my decoding notes. Well, that’s alright, I’ll teach you when we get back! It’s a very handy language to know in our particular field of work, although I don’t have the entire language decoded. Mostly the alphabet! Fortunately, it’s pronunciations seem to resemble ours quite closely. The letters I wrote on you are L-U-V-D. I hoped it would remind you that you’re always loved.” She gave another sweet smile.

Hordak only appeared to grow more confused by her statement, rather than less. “Loved...? That is an... emotion? Yes, an emotion your people feel towards... things. You’re pack animals that can bond to just about anything given enough time, and this... “love” is your way of describing the need to remain close to your pack. I see.” He concluded his research and reached the wrong conclusion in record time. ”However, my suit can wait. We need to return to the new Horde base as quickly as possible. I left Scorpia in charge, and I fear for the place. But in order to do that, we need to retrieve and fix the port side engine. It came off during my landing.” Or, in reality, crashing.

Entrapta seemed to be debating whether or not to add her input on his analysis, but was effectively distracted by the change in subject. She instantly perked up at the opportunity to tinker with tech. “Ooh, show me where it is! I expect we’ll have your ship fixed before sunset, so long as the engine wasn’t completely decimated upon detachment. You’re right, we should prioritize returning. As fascinating as this island is, Chip and Emily must really miss us.”

Hordak looked confused as he thought back to the robots in the lab. “Chip? Is that a new robot of yours?”

“Oh, you’ve never heard me use that name before? I suppose that makes sense, he tends to approach me most often when it’s just me and Emily in the lab. Chip isn’t a robot, he’s your little friend who’s always landing on your shoulder. You know, the one who takes pride in his spying abilities. I’ve heard you call him Imp before, but that name isn’t nearly as cute as he deserves with a face like that. He sounds a bit like a small primate when he vocalizes on his own, so at first I called him Chimpy. Then I realized Chip was an even cuter nickname, so I shortened it to that. Still keeps a few letters of Imp in it. He didn’t seem to mind either way, but I think he likes Chip!”

Hordak didn’t look entirely pleased with this, but pressed on anyway. “That is fine. You can name him whatever you please. It doesn’t matter.” Hordak dismissed before moving on. ”The second engine was ripped off midair by an underwater leviathan. We’ll have to venture into the water in order to retrieve it. If we’re lucky, it'll still be mostly watertight and undamaged. And the beast won't kill us when we try to get it. But given our luck as of late, that may be a fool's hope.”

Entrapta let out a manic little laugh. “Oh Hordak, luck isn’t very scientific! Consider instead the statistics. Granted, for an average duo the odds of survival would be very low. However, we’ve managed to beat the odds stacked against us at every turn. Especially you! You’ve done the supposedly ‘impossible’ on multiple occasions, surely including in several situations long before we met. Past a certain point, one has to realize that it isn’t luck. It’s your skill set that’s gotten you where you are, and that’s exactly what’s going to get you where you need to be. Not to mention, you have my help. According to my calculations, although I am lacking some data, our chances of survival are approximately 89.7%. If considering the less conventional perspective makes me a fool, then I’m okay with that.” She smiled confidently over.

He tried to fight the smile tugging at his lips, but he failed. A fond smile snaked across his face. For once he looked comfortable and unguarded. He had found his ”partner” alive and for once was realizing that victory and redemption weren't the only important things in this world. ”You're no fool. And you aren't a failure either, as you seem to think. Your... Technology is sound. And you... Are a very skilled research partner...” He dragged out his compliments awkwardly as he tried to figure out what to say. He could hear Chip’s squawks of disappointment in his head. He was dreadful at this. He chose to change the subject before she could respond to his awkward compliments. ”Let's make our way back. We are at a disadvantage out here. But you were wise not to enter the forest.”

Her smile grew a bit bashful at the compliments and she looked to the sand, clasping her hands together at chest level as she walked. “Oh, I fully intended on going into the forest once I’d finished surveying the coastal habitat. This place is loaded with amazing tech! But those burrowing creatures are so fascinating that I couldn’t help but spend more time observing them. What’s wrong with the forest?”

A scarcely audible chuckle escaped his lips. He shook his head in amusement and disappointment. “Of course. I should have expected as much from a researcher. A scientist you are, but a survivalist you are not.” He paused to gently move her to the side before she could slide into a pitfall trap, then he resumed speaking. ”The forest is dangerous for humanoids like us. We cannot see as well in the darkened, foreign territory. If we were to be chased, we would likely just get ourselves more lost as well as trip over the plants. The beach is safer because we can see all approaching threats as well as run from them. The only advantage of the forest is the ability to climb, but that is risky on time.”

“Faaascinating! I’ve never studied this sort of biome before, organic matter isn’t often my focus. But the way you describe it makes it sound positively thrilling!” She bounced a bit in excitement through their walk. “Perhaps I could engineer a set of full-bodied robotic suits that would negate the risks. Then when we come back, you wouldn’t have to worry so much. Ooh, Hordak! Big news!” She stared at him with intensity, her magenta eyes flashing almost red as they tended to when she was in that signature scientific euphoria. “I have reason to suspect that a considerable portion of the larger creatures on Beast Island are a technoorganic fusion involving First One’s tech! Similar to the infected chilopod creature in the Northern Reach, but in far greater numbers and likely even more considerable mass! I can’t even begin to describe the implications of such a discovery! Just imagine the possibilities! Everything we could learn from studying them!”

“Interesting... Perhaps it could be of some use to us. You are the expert in First One’s technology so I’ll leave that to you.” He looked over the edge of the crater down at his transport vessel. ”There is our escape apparatus. Do you think it will still fly? It appears to have held together reasonably.”

Entrapta took out her recorder and started to speak into it. “Beast Island, day one. Part... 41? No, definitely 42. I’ve just recruited Hordak in the latest scientific endeavor. Odds of making a great discovery seem to have increased! The expedition will have to be put on hold, however, as we need to return to the fright zone today.” She tucked it back away and continued their conversation as though what she’d done was completely normal. “Oh, it’ll definitely fly! Efficiency should be relatively similar to its original state so long as we have all the parts, although it may be a bit less stable depending on the extent of the internal damage. If we can retrieve that second engine, I won’t have to reroute the entire system. Which would save time and increase speed.” She slid down into the crater and started quickly taking the remaining engine apart, using tools that she pulled seemingly out of nowhere. She spoke rapidly as she inspected each part. “The high-pressure compressor will need some minor repair. Turbines are dented, but easily remedied. Combustion chamber appears to be the most heavily damaged. Ooh, that’s going to be fun!”

He knelt down to watch her from atop the crater. ”If you can handle things here, I'll go and retrieve the second engine.”

With Entrapta’s diagnosis complete, she pulled out a welding torch and instantly got to work repairing. “That’d be great! Water and I don’t go very well together. My hair sort of tries to drown me. Speaking of, I like your new bracelet! It clearly likes you too.” She gestured a hair ‘hand’ towards Hordak’s wrist, where at some point the detached lilac tuft he’d picked up had coiled loosely around him.

Hordak seemed surprised, looking down at his wrist. ”Oh... I hadn't noticed.” He stared at the little wreath of pinkish-purple hair with confusion and astonishment. He never expected the hair to act on its own, let alone pick him to stay with. Rather than confront the bubble of feeling threatening to come up, he simply turned on his heel and trotted away. ” I will return later with the engine. Keep yourself safe, and hide in the vessel if danger approaches.”

With that last dismissive statement, he was gone. He walked along the beach, trying to self diagnose his error. He identified the physical first. His chest was red, face hot, and his stomach felt like it was practicing to be an Olympic gymnast. Had he been poisoned? No, he hadn't ingested anything or been bitten. Was this a reaction to the faulty suit? No, this wasn't a real pain like before. It was uncomfortable, but not painful. It was almost like his internal pressure was rising to concerning levels.

The lack of explanation was frustrating. He felt helpless to his own body, just as he had when he was first noted to be a defect. He couldn't figure this out any better than he had back then. He angrily kicked a rock into the water in hopes of releasing some frustration. It didn't.

It did, however, successfully anger the vengeful leviathan from earlier. While that was not his intended outcome, it was the one he got. He was violently wrenched from his thoughts as sharp, barbed tentacles wrapped around him and yanked him into the salty depths. Today was going fantastically.


	2. To be alone with you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is finally up! It took a while, I know... But I finally made an actual outline for this quilt of ideas! Woohoo! Once again, thank you to AburameQueen3 for putting up with my inability to write like a human and not letting me quit this story!
> 
> Chapter title is based on the Sufjan Stevens song “To be alone with you” and I highly recommend a listen!

The sun was well into its descent from the sky, bathing the island in warm orange light. A chilled wind whipped through the trees as the temperatures fell for the night. It was a refreshing change from the sticky heat of the day, just crisp enough but not cold. With the sweltering heat gone and the island bathed in gentle light, the island might look like a peaceful place, if one was completely ignorant of the many dangers lurking within.

It had been many hours since Hordak had vanished to retrieve the lost engine. Regardless, Entrapta was too busy to notice much outside her repair work. Squelching footsteps and a heavy dragging sound were finally enough to drag her away from her work and alert her to the return of her irritated lab partner. “Entrapta! I have returned.” He called down not but moments later.

Hordak stood at the lip of the crater, slightly hunched from the strenuous task he had undergone. He was sodden, covered in sea vegetation, and soaked in a mixture of blood that was both his own and foreign. He looked as miserable as a drowned rat than had also been beaten to death by a cactus. Overall, not his best look.

Entrapta looked up, face still concealed by her welding mask. “Hordak, your timing is perfect! I’ve just finished making repairs! Had to dig through the sand to get at the underside, I think this is the most fun I’ve ever had at a beach! Now all that remains is your lovely piece there. Let’s take a look at her condition.” She swiftly climbed out from the crater and inspected the engine. “Water-logged as expected, tearing damage at the base. Remarkably, otherwise unscathed, at least from the external analysis. This should be quick!” She wrapped a thick rope of hair around the engine and dragged it down into the crater. There was a short scream as she almost let it go, followed by a laugh as she managed not to crush herself on the way down. 

Hordak huffed out a small laugh at her strange vocalizations before climbing down into the ship to join her. He began any repairs needed as he also tried to groom himself. He'd had quite the miserable time, so he was happy to enjoy the silence and let Entrapta do the rest of the work.

Within half an hour, Entrapta had finished her work and clambered in to join him in the cockpit. “Commencing test ignition number one.” She powered up the engines, wiggling excitedly as the ship slowly elevated out of the hole. She was too focused to hear Hordak’s yelp of warning and concern about her piloting skills. She lurched it forward, pulling up just before they hit the tree line, again ignoring his panicked noises entirely. 

Entrapta turned the ship around and entered the autopilot coordinates to the fright zone. “Test one appears to be a success! Currently, no indications that we will plummet into the depths of the ocean. It’s almost a shame the engine didn’t explode the first time, we would have learned so much more that way. Well, this is nice too!” 

She lifted up her mask and smiled up at him, molding her hair into a makeshift chair and sitting on it rather than just using the seat available. She rested her cheek in a gloved hand and smiled up at him, finally without the distraction of a project. “Sooo, why’d you come all the way out to Beast Island if you were in such a rush to leave?” 

Hordak raised a brow over at her in a silent question. When it became clear that she was serious and this question was no joke, he pressed on. “I came to retrieve you. Without my assistance, you would be dead right now.”

His statement was calm and succinct, but his mind was reeling. He wondered how long she had been essentially alone in her lab. She clearly didn't understand that he came to help her. Had she ever received help or assistance out of a tough situation? He thought about how easily she accepted her abandonment from the other Princesses and decided that no, she hadn't been useful enough to help or save in the past.

He rolled his chair closer to her and tried to focus on the words his throat threatened to swallow. “Entrapta, you are... Valuable...” He cringed at the choice of words. She wasn’t a damn machine. “You are part of my team and thus... Important. To me. You are... Special. Irreplaceable. And well worth the effort to get back. You're my partner.” He hated the way his voice wavered and cracked as he tried to explain. He was weak, but at least he’d tried.

She sat up straight, eyes widening in surprise. “Really? Oh... That’s the first time someone’s ever found me for the sole purpose of helping me...” A somewhat bashful smile graced her lips as she briefly glanced down. “You’re also the only one who’s ever said such nice things to me like that.” She reached out and set a hand on his knee. Thankfully, she didn't notice him flinch. “Thanks. You’re special to me, too. And I love all your cute quirks. You’re the best lab partner I could ask for, and I think that what we’ve got is worth more than just best friends.”

“Ah, yes... Well... I am glad that we are on the same page. It's good. Yes.” He spoke rapidly and panicked. What did she mean by that? More than friends!? He swallowed his inner turmoil and pressed on. “So, ah... We won't be returning to the fright zone, I forgot to say.” He turned back to the controls and began to change the coordinates. ”It was taken by the Princesses. We’ll be going to a secondary base in the north.”

“Really? Consider me impressed, last I checked their organizational skills were lacking at best. Why don’t we just take back the fright zone instead? I could easily input a few system commands and have the walls lock them up. Bow is great, but he’s not exactly a Dryl-level techie. The odds of successfully containing them within our own base are within the 95% confidence interval. Ooh, I could make you a graph if you’d like! I love confidence interval figures.” She scooted closer to the console as he changed the coordinates. “Oh by the way, if you do decide to take this ship off autopilot, you should probably know that I tweaked a few things. I switched around these lever and button thingies so they make more sense now. Here are the new blueprints!” She held up her electronic pad with a control scheme that, to any rational pilot, seemed far more complicated.

“You what!?” He barked. “Why did you change this? Change it back! There was nothing wrong with the flight systems!” He frantically looked over the blueprints. “This... This is crazy. You moved things all over the place. No soldier with a normally proportioned body could reach all of these... Entrapta, you’ve made the ship unable to be flown manually...” He was flabbergasted as he gazed at the jumbled maze of blueprints. He desperately hoped he wouldn't need to manually fly them.

Entrapta briefly rose a tuft of hair to Hordak’s lips. “Shh, there’s no need to make a fuss over a little thing like this.” She gently chided. “It is entirely able to be flown manually, as you witnessed when I got it up in the air. Neither of us has ‘normal’ body proportions. You’re perfectly tall enough to reach everything, I had you in mind when I changed it. One can never truly progress if unwilling to accept change, but if you don’t see the practicality of my modifications, I can easily restore it to the way it was. This’ll just be a few minutes.” She lifted the control panel cover and started taking it apart, a concerning sight while in flight.

“NOT WHILE IN THE AIR!” He shouted, voice cracking. “I’ll take it for a test flight later to see if I like it! Just... Just stop fiddling with equipment for a little bit...” He put a hand over his face and sighed exasperatedly. This was shaping up to be a painfully long day and persistent migraine.

She paused, looking back at him. “Sorry, you weren’t very clear about that. Okay!” She tightened everything back up and closed the panel. Her features suddenly seemed to brighten up. “Oh, Hordak! I’ve just realized, this is the first time we’re together where we aren’t working on a big project. I believe this counts as traditional socializing! How fascinating...” She stared at him as though he held all the social answers she could hope for, oblivious to the fact that he was even less competent at this sort of subject than she was. “If my understanding of this situation is correct, then this should be a time where we exchange personal information and bond. So I’ll take it as an opportunity to inquire on a few matters that we were too busy for previously, and you feel free to do the same!” She paused only briefly to consider her question. “Why is it so important to you to reach Horde Prime? I understand that you seek redemption and acknowledgment of your ample worth, but then what? What are you really hoping to gain?”

Hordak seemed rather stunned by her question. He paused to think about it before speaking. “That... That is the only reason. To redeem myself and hopefully change my life sentence. If he is still displeased with my condition... I'll be killed.” He stared down at his hands in an effort to avoid eye contact. It was painful to consider that he still may not be good enough even if he conquered Etheria.

Entrapta’s ponytails puffed out like two bottlebrushes, clearly alarmed. “What?! Killed? No, that is absurd and completely illogical! How can he not see that being different makes you better? It makes you more intelligent, exceptional at problem-solving, and gives you a completely unique perspective that is invaluable. If Horde Prime had an army that was identical to him, nothing would function properly! All his clones would think just like him, try to overthrow him, and never get anywhere. He needed something different, he needed you! You didn’t become top general for being an identical clone. You rose to that position because who you were made you better. It was only when that fact was no longer hidden that he sent you away, and I think it was because he was afraid of you. Not because he thought you were worthless. And even if he really did think that, he was completely wrong.” 

She stood and moved closer, taking on a more authoritative posture similar to when she had first demanded information from him after witnessing his defect. “Imperfection is beautiful, Hordak. You know I support you, and I’ll do anything I can to help make your visions a reality. But before I can help you, I need to speak my peace. You should never take orders from someone who doesn’t value you. You’re amazing, and frankly, you’ve been an inspiration to me since we met. Any doubts you have in yourself, by extension you have in me. I understand how difficult it is to defy your programming, but I promise you don’t have to follow it.”

Hordak gazed into her eyes, bewildered and in awe of her resolve. It was rare that anyone challenged him, and it was never anything like her. He felt a resurgence of the pesky symptoms from earlier. Specifically, his stomach felt as though it was practicing to be a star gymnast. He would need to get that diagnosed later, it was distracting.

“You seem... Determined about this subject. But honestly, I have no idea how to respond to that. Are you telling me to rebel against Horde Prime and risk a worse execution as a traitor rather than just as a malfunctioning clone?” He shook his head. “Think about what you're saying logically, Entrapta. Would you not take apart and rebuild a broken robot? How many times have you remade Emily? It's the same thing, except biological creatures are easy to take apart but harder to put back together. If I fail, he’ll take me apart to find my defect so he can avoid it in future clones. That's just how things work.” Despite his words sounding so sure, his face flashed distress at the notion. He loathed how his body betrayed him.

She shook her head, expression softening back up. “No, what you’re talking about is completely different. When I told you before that I take apart my broken friends and make new ones, that was because they were purely robotic. They never really felt, nor did they get upset at being taken apart. That’s what’s so special about Emily. I never remade her. All I did was tweak her internal hardware and give her something new: the ability to make her own choices, and defy her programming as she saw fit. That’s it. And that’s what I want for you. The ability to defy your programming and make your own choices. I’m not saying you should rebel against Horde Prime and overtake him, although you certainly could. You don’t have to be a traitor, you should just be your own version of yourself. With your own thoughts and desires coming first. Haven’t you ever felt trapped in that mindset chosen for you? Felt the need to rebel against it?” She sat on the edge of Hordak’s chair, squishing slightly against him.

Hordak flinched back from the touch but tried not to show it too much. He liked it when she touched him and didn't want her to stop. He hesitated as he attempted to gather his memories. Prime had sought to reprogram him many times with imaginative torture ranging from electro-shock all the way to surgery, so his memories were spotty at best. He thought back to his first mission as an untested soldier. He was so young then...

“When I was still a cadet I got a low-level patrol mission on a border moon. It was dry and dusty, but the people were vibrant despite the Horde. They had surrendered peacefully and no rebellion had ever been attempted, so the citizens had distinct freedoms that other planets didn't. If I had to describe my daily mission in one word, it would be boring. So I started paying more attention to the culture around me.

“I remember especially the first sunlight festival I got to see. It was beautiful. They filled these lanterns with beams of light they gathered in the morning and sent them floating all around. It was like seeing hundreds of stars during the day. But it was especially beautiful at night. It was so bright you could hardly believe the sun had set already.

“I was pulled into the festival by one of the younglings, who was the same approximate number of cycles as myself. It was my first time outside of Horde controlled limits. I was both terrified and exhilarated. They smeared this orange pigment on themselves and then me in intricate swirls and waves. It was like carrying the beams of light on your skin. I swear it was warm and luminous all on its own.

“I hid away my horde uniform and spent the whole night with my companion and their family. They had three brothers and a sister. I'd never seen any sisters before... They also had parents, which I didn't know of either. I learned a lot from those people. I learned about parties, these huge celebrations of people laughing and eating as a group. And about dancing around like a fool, with the knowledge that everyone else looked just as silly but didn't care. I learned all sorts of gentle magics that would make lights, or colorful smoke, or animals made of sparkles! Beauty was everywhere around me. But more than anything, I learned that there was more to my world than I’d previously been shown.” He smiled fondly as he lost himself in the memories.

“I had only known witchcraft as destruction and chaos. Horde Prime hated and even feared magic, so we weren't allowed to study any magic. But the way these people used it was so delicate and gorgeous, I could never believe it was harmful.

”The eldest brother was the one who insisted I stay and lectured me about many practical things, like economics, cooking, and how to interact with people who aren't soldiers. I was... Very bad at it. I would bark commands at people and scowl until they left me be. Quite intimidating for one so young, but he was determined to break my programming. He was insistent and a pain to argue with, but I appreciated his lessons.

“While these lessons were of great import, it was the youngest brother who showed me my favorite things... He quickly became my best friend, after he informed me what a friend was. He enlightened me about the fundamentals of relaxation and fun. Specifically taking long naps by the creek and group sports that didn't end in somebody dying. Apparently, blood sport wasn't as popular there. And after he explained that this concept was objectively horrifying, he insisted I learn their ways even more. So many games… It was dizzying.

“However, the thing I loved the most was the light cruiser. It absorbed and operated off of waves of sunlight to power. It had a thruster to get you off the ground and then you could stay airborne without ever running out of fuel. It was the freest I've ever felt. There was nothing between me and the clouds, nothing to hold me back. No rules, no regulations, and no Horde Prime breathing down my neck.” Hordak closed his eyes to savor the memories of wind and warm sunlight. He could practically feel it on his face. It made him smile just a tad.

He sighed softly, coming back to reality. No daydream could last forever, not when nightmares were closing in. He continued. “All things must end, and I had to return to the Horde to resume my training. I never went back to that planet. I don't know the fate of it, or its people.”

Entrapta seemed almost entranced by his storytelling. She let a few moments pass as though to ensure he was finished before speaking. “That sounds wonderful... overwhelming, but wonderful! So, you already have defied that programming after all. What’s stopping you this time? You don’t have to go back to the main Horde and be a war General again, you could stay here instead. We could keep on creating amazing new inventions, and making exciting discoveries! Or better yet, we could figure out a way to leave Etheria on our own, and travel the universe together. Maybe even find that solar planet again! Doesn’t that sound better than dealing with Horde Prime bossing you around and threatening to take you apart at the slightest mistake?”

He sighed softly, his shoulders hunching in defeat. He no longer had the willpower to fight against the tempting notion. His chest ached from the yearning of his heart. “Of course it does... But how can I ever prove myself worth something if I just run away?”

“You’ve already proven yourself worthy... You prove it every day in the things you do. As far as what would impress your rude brother, you did essentially take over a whole planet with no advantages starting out. You’re a master strategist, negotiator, and an impressive leader. And more importantly, you’re a brilliant scientist! You’ve created the seemingly impossible on numerous occasions. Considering the ease with which my reprogramming was capable of granting Emily sentience, your robots are, in a way, even more advanced than mine. You also dabble in biology, a rather admirable field almost entirely foreign to me. I have a theory that you created Chip, which would be considered objectively impressive. And do I even need to get started on the portal? The purely theoretical concept which you brought to reality? That was amazing! If it hadn’t been for the whole She-ra thing, it would have worked perfectly. You could create anything you set your mind to if you didn’t let frustration get in the way. Aaaand you’re my friend. Which I personally consider a very worthy contribution. You’re worth a whole lot to me, no matter what anyone else thinks.” 

Her eyes suddenly darted over his various bloody marks, seeming to have just noticed them. She pulled out a small rag and started gently dabbing at the blood. She made a soft click as the dried blood wouldn’t come off, and gave the cloth a lick before rubbing again. She seemed satisfied when it came off better.

Hordak gave a soft hiss at the dabbing near the wounds, but seeing as she completely ignored his little protests, he fell silent again. He felt that annoying warmth in his cheeks again as he went over all of the information she had just given him. Nobody had ever been this kind or even acknowledged his skills before. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it all. Could he really turn his back on everything he'd ever known? “If I stop, what am I even supposed to do with my life? If I’m not attempting to serve my original purpose, what am I supposed to do?” He spoke so softly that it came as a whisper.

“That’s simple! You deem your previous project a successful failure that had value in all that you learned from it. And then you keep that data and move on to the next project! It’s something we all have to face eventually if we want to get anywhere interesting. I spent my entire early life in Dryl, seldom left. As far as I can recall, prior to attempting horde infiltration the only times I traveled far were the past three princess proms. My kingdom has never been the best at mingling with others. I grew up as a shut-in, and I was content with that. I even got rid of the majority of the castle staff so my robots could take over. But if I hadn’t left Dryl and found your Etherian Horde, I never would have been able to learn all the amazing new things we’ve been working on together. I never would have received a confirmation on my theory that there are countless other inhabited planets out there, and that we can theoretically reach them. And I never would have met you. Leaving my kingdom and getting a fresh start was the best decision I ever made. I feel like it would be for you too.”

Hordak felt so conflicted. He yearned to toss his training and programming to the wayside and abandon it all with her, but what would happen if Horde Prime had really heard his message and found him out here? He would be humiliated, stripped bare, tortured, and finally executed in front of his brothers as an example. It would be so horrid that he would beg for death many times before he was finally given it. The very idea of the gleeful violation and suffering was enough to make his blood run cold.

However, if he continued to help Prime find him, he wouldn't be hurt, but everyone else would die. Even Entrapta. He felt a fresh stab of pain cut through his chest at that thought. Had he fought to save her just to lose her to his own brother? No. He refused to let her be hurt.  
The realization suddenly hit him... He had found something more important than The Horde or his programming: his lab partner. He valued Entrapta more than anything The Horde could offer him. 

He gazed into her radiant eyes and captivating smile. Nobody had ever smiled at him like that, and he felt nobody else ever would. Just her. Nobody in the Horde had ever treated him kindly. They called each other brothers, but they said it more as a title or species, not family. They weren't friends or anything of the like. Entrapta was the only one to ever see him as something special or worth caring about.

With that thought, he finalized his choice. He was already a monster, why not be a traitor as well? He would give up everything if it meant she would keep smiling at him like that. He gave her a nod. “Alright. I'll do it. Let's start a new beginning. What is our next project as free people?” He smiled softly at her, as he felt like a thousand weights had been removed from his shoulders. It was both terrifying and relieving.

Entrapta let out a happy little squeal and suddenly hugged him. Hordak let out another very undignified squeak at the hug which he promptly covered up by clearing his throat. Almost as suddenly as she had hugged him, Entrapta released him with a sheepish little laugh. “Sorry, I forgot about your injuries! It’s not my intention to crush you. Then again, I can always fix you if you break.” She gave him a gentler hug. “Right, our next project! You’ve mentioned several fascinating concepts recently. And while I’m tempted to jump right into the challenges of transdimensional crossing and interstellar travel, maybe we should start with something closer to your heart. How about that solar-powered light cruiser you told me about? We can recreate one of our own!”

Hordak started gently petting her hair, unsure of what he should do with this kind of affection. He was not educated for this class of affection. Or any class, for that matter. But he felt like he needed to reciprocate this affection somehow lest it be taken away. Entrapta’s cheeks flushed slightly, although it was largely hidden from Hordak’s view as she almost bashfully pressed her forehead against his chest. Despite having initiated the touch, she seemed just as surprised at the reciprocated affection. The hair wiggled slightly under the petting, seeming pleased in its own way. He watched the action, wondering about the nature of her living hair. 

“Do you really think you can recreate it without having seen how it's made? It must be a complicated material.” He asked.

She lit up, bouncing slightly. “Yes! I mean, theoretically. I can’t promise that it’ll look exactly the same, but we have your memory to guide us. If you can make us some general blueprints, the rest should be simple enough. I’ll work on that solar fabric, what a fascinating concept! Imagine the intricacy of its components, how minuscule the embedded power units would have to be to mesh so well with kinetic material! I’ve dabbled a bit in solar power, but I’ve only ever used solid panels. And I ended up not doing much with it because most of my robots were indoors all the time with me. But I’ve already got some ideas I’d love to test! Technology like this could also prove useful for powering Dryl!” She paused her ramble, scrunching up her brows in thought. “I... suppose I never told you much about my old home, did I?” 

“No, not much. I know what information my soldiers have brought back, but not much else.” He said.

She hummed softly in thought. “Hordak, I just realized something. You’ve really opened up to me and shared pieces of yourself. I’ve gotten to learn a lot about you, where you came from, and even your fondest memories. But as you were telling me all those special things, I was so focused on thinking about you that I didn’t even think to offer the same. I never really talk about myself, so it didn’t come to mind. Is there anything you’d like to know?”

Hordak gave a little nod. He had been curious about her life before The Horde but always felt too awkward to ask. It wouldn't have helped their efforts or their experiments, so he didn't think it would be appropriate to ask. “I admit to some curiosity, but before that, this might help our attempts.” He pulled a chunk of fabric from a storage pouch in the suit. It was soft and oddly organic. It glowed softly but gave no source for it. “It glows much brighter in the sun. I kept this with me from that world. I would prefer to keep as much as I can undamaged, but you can borrow it for studying if you would like.” 

Entrapta’s attention was instantly captivated by the new material, causing her to sit up straight and forget all bashfulness. “Oh, wooow!” She reached out and gently held a corner of the fabric, moving it around in her hands to catch different angles of the glow. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she observed it. “Faaaaascinating! It’s even more amazing than I imagined! I’ll have to give it a look under high magnification to determine its composition and may require a small sample to assess its molecular components. But don’t worry, that would just be a tiny little nick off the side.”

Hordak gave a nod. He had expected as much. “Very well. So long as it is mostly intact when I get it back, do what you must. And perhaps, if it hasn't been entirely eradicated by the Horde, we could visit that world together in the future. You could learn from the masters. Which brings me to my first question, why do you desire to depart Etheria so intensely?”

“That would be amazing, that should be our first stop! That’s an interesting inquiry. I’ve always wanted to find more, but up until recently my scope of investigation has been relatively narrow. There’s so much to discover in any given place that it can be easy to get stuck in the one place you’re already working on. As I mentioned before, that happened with me back in Dryl. I suppose I did feel a bit stuck underneath it all... The expectations of being a decent ruler, staying for my people, and eventually producing female progeny as an heir. So, if I am to be completely honest, it is about more than the noble quest of scientific discovery. I wouldn’t quite call it running away, buuut it kind of is.”

He let a bubble of laughter spill from his lips. “You and I are far more alike than I first thought, Entrapta. However, if we leave Etheria, I am unsure if we can ever return. It takes time to travel to all of these places and Etheria is a hard world to reach for reasons I don't quite understand yet. If we cannot return, are you going to be able to accept that choice?”

She smiled up at him and gave a slow nod. “As long as we’re together, I’m happy wherever we are. You make this universe so much more interesting, Hordak. We’ll have what we need most wherever we go. And besides, Dryl will be alright without me! They’ve been doing just fine with me in The Horde as is. I’m in the process of perfecting a new ruling system with several representatives from different branches and robots analyzing the soundness of their decisions and making corrections. Not sure if you knew, but robots are naturally predisposed to becoming expert politicians.”

“I am well aware. I tend to trust robots far more than people to make important decisions for that reason.” He said. “And Dryl will have an easier time without The Horde looming over it. But… Do you think the princess alliance will let us simply slip away without trying to hunt us down? We’ll need time to build a new portal machine powerful enough to escape Etheria.”

She nodded confidently. “The princess alliance has almost exclusively been on the defensive for the duration of horde occupation and the ensuing war. While it is true that their latest victory is an outlier of sorts, it was triggered by the capture of perhaps their most critical member. Therefore, it could still be considered a defensive attack. I’m confident that without reason to attack, they won’t do so. They really are bad at war strategy, but that works in our favor. If we bolt, they’ll switch their focus to whoever takes over. Likely Catra. That’ll keep Adora plenty occupied and by extension the others in their alliance.” 

Hordak slowly shook his head, staring at the floor with searing pain and gnawing shame. “I can’t believe a group of teenagers with hardly any ability to make a plan and two brain cells between them managed to keep my forces at bay and stop many of my plans… Disgraceful.” He sighed before continuing. “I wonder what Catra will do. Likely, name herself supreme ruler of the planet and get herself fantastically murdered by her own stupidity while Adora tries and fails miserably to save her soul. I understand why you didn’t want to stay with the other princesses. They have the brainpower of a koala.”

Entrapta let out a boisterous laugh, attempting to muffle it with a hand as she snorted in the process. “I don’t know why that’s so funny, but it really is! Oh boy, I’m a terrible friend. That’s alright, I try my best.” She managed to calm her breathing and leaned against Hordak’s side. “Seems to me like a strikingly accurate prediction. Life is so fleeting in organic creatures. As for the past defeats, don’t take it too hard! Clueless teenagers they may be, but they’re rather competent in battle and they do have some impressive magical capabilities. You tried your best too.” She softly patted his knee in a slightly awkward but clearly genuine attempt at a comforting gesture. “Given enough time you definitely would have gotten there, but now it’s time to move to bigger and better things.” 

Hordak very gently put his arm around Entrapta’s shoulder. Touch was… Foreign to him. He wasn't sure if it made him uncomfortable or if this feeling was just the desire to get more contact. The only touch in The Horde came from Prime, and that usually came with pain of some kind. Some were delusional enough to seek out that painful touch, lost in the thought that this was proper affection. But Hordak tried to avoid it. Even just the memory of the lingering stares and scraping claws down his back made his skin crawl.

But Entrapta was different. She never hurt him. Even when he felt like she had, she never truly hurt him. She wouldn't. He knew that for sure now. He could bury those fears away now.

He cleared his throat. “We should rest. It's a long trip, especially with damaged engines, and we’ll want full awareness when we get back. After some rest, we can start drawing up plans. But for now, I insist we sleep. It's been a rough time.” He sighed, feeling the exhaustion catching up with him. He wasn't even entirely sure how long it had been, since he was so overwhelmed. He knew he should take this suit off and get a look at the damage those razor-sharp tentacles had done, but he wasn't bleeding out on the spot, so he didn't much care.

Entrapta nodded dutifully. “While I personally remain too overfilled with enthusiasm to rest properly, I acknowledge the significance of my physiological needs. Rest is fuel for neurological activity, after all! We’ll settle down just as soon as I fix your suit!” Without further word, she swiftly but carefully initiated the removal sequence with an intricate sequence of well-timed presses, loosening the individual segments of the suit. She immediately popped open the chest plate, checking its vital components. 

Hordak let out a panicked hiss as he felt the cool air hit him as well as the sudden rush of warmth that came with the pressure being released from his wounds. He looked over the crisscrossing lines of lacerated flesh. The worst was around his ankle and lower stomach, where he had first been gripped and dragged into the water. The wounds looked… Bad. The colour was off and debris was caught in it. Bits of seaweed and barbed teeth glistened from within.

He chose to ignore the wounds, he had been hurt worse before and survived fine, and instead pawed at the chest piece in Entrapta’s hands. It was a rather gentle attempt at regaining his security blanket. “Entrapta, I need that. I can't be without this suit for long, you know that.” He tried to steady his voice and sound less like a panicked child, but he failed. Even when it was malfunctioning, Hordak took comfort in having that suit.

She switched the panel she had been inspecting to a third ‘hand’ made of hair and gently grasped Hordak’s pawing hands. Her expression grew serious, as she’d had enough time to assess the severity of the damage. “Hordak, listen to me. I know how important this suit is, and that’s why it’s so critical that we get it fixed. Since you’re a skilled biologist, and I created this model of the suit, we should allocate repair duties accordingly. I have the necessary tools for technological repairs, but I need you to tell me where the medical kit is for your biological functions.”

Hordak looked back down at his wounds, taking a proper assessment. His mind was foggy. Was it the stress of the day or some foreign contamination? He snapped from his thoughts and gently freed his hand from Entrapta’s hold. He pointed to a bright red panel near the steering console. “If it wasn't crushed during the crash, the medical kit should be in there. It should be equipped with everything I need to repair myself.”

She looked over where directed. “Right! I probably should have noticed that sooner.” She popped the plate she’d been holding back into place, then speedily made her way off by hair travel. She grabbed the medical kit and returned with it just as quickly. “You should probably have a seat. This may take a while.” She handed the supplies over, trusting him to patch his wounds on his own, then started her work before he even had the chance to move. “First I’ll repair the vital components that synchronize the suit to your body’s functions. They’re not in the greatest shape, so you may have gotten the occasional shock from your natural state. Still, biological support functions and strength augmentations remain up and running. Your energy core is still in perfect condition; as I’ve come to expect, First Ones’ tech remains remarkably durable. The cosmetic damage to your armor components is more severe but less significant.” 

Hordak gave a little nod. “Yes, I was occasionally sent into a slight shock. Nothing I couldn’t handle.” He fell into a comfortable silence as he opened up the medical kit and got to work on his wounds. He carefully removed the foreign contaminants and sanitized the area. The strangely colored fluids would be an interesting sample to study later. He also set the strangely robotic teeth off to the side for later analysis and focused on covering up or sewing up his abused flesh. It was tedious but doable. 

Entrapta continued her determined work, but occasionally looked over at Hordak’s progress. Although she didn’t tend to understand living processes with the same deep comprehension as abiotic phenomena, she did want to and took the opportunity to learn. After all, with a danger-prone lab partner like Hordak, she might need the knowledge further down the line. Thus, she continued to steadily absorb new information through passive observation, without removing any quality of attention from her task at hand. Like Hordak, she had long since fallen into the distinctive silence of a scientist hard at work. 

After about ten minutes, Entrapta had finished repairs to the most severe damage from the crushing and moved instead to re-shaping and welding the damaged body plates into their proper positions. By this point, the task was more absent-minded, and she found her curiosity returning full-force. Although she managed to resist the powerful temptation of grabbing the removed leviathan teeth and running off with them in a manic cackle, she couldn’t resist staring closely at the stitched up wound on Hordak’s side. 

“Hordak…” Her voice was low, with a strange hint of mesmerization that captured his attention immediately. “What’s it like losing a chunk of your flesh?” She finished the question in a loud whisper. It was clear that although she had created highly dangerous robots and lived in a time of war, she herself had been lucky enough to avoid most physical injury.

Hordak was surprised by the question, he took a few moments to consider his answer while he finished patching his last wound. “It is… odd. I’ve been in a unique position to hold a chunk of my lacerated flesh. Once the pain is no longer an obstacle, your mind enters a state of surreal denial. Your body’s main goal is to survive and when faced with a large-scale injury it cannot comprehend what has happened. Even after the wound heals, you can be left with phantom pain and itches to a spot that no longer exists. It is impossible to truly explain the feeling of loss… But I hope that helps a bit.”

Entrapta grew a fascinated and rather pensive expression as she listened through the explanation. “That certainly does help. Surprisingly, I find myself with a sense of familiarity in that general sensation. I’ve come close to hacking off a limb on rare occasions to escape dangerous situations, like a lizard releasing her tail. Never actually had to go through with it, however. But when I lose a chunk of my hair, that’s what it feels like. I’m not sure how the pain level compares, but there’s certainly intense pain and a sense of loss like you described. Most people don’t really realize that my hair is just as sensitive as the rest of me.” She re-attached the last of the repaired plates, nodding in satisfaction at the cleaned and completed armor suit. “There, good as new! Aside from a few scrapes and minor dents, that is.” 

Hordak heard the words she spoke, but his gaze never left her hair. He was entirely enthralled by this new information. His desire to stroke her hair was skyrocketing, but he pushed that desire down. Why did he want to touch her so much? Another strange issue he would need to diagnose later. “Very well, thank you. My systems seem repaired. Now, I am going to rest for a while, feel free to rest or analyze the teeth, if you'd like.” He stood up and started towards the private areas but paused. He stood still for a moment, trying to remember how people normally said this on her world. “I hope you find this night conducive to a restful deactivation cycle.”

She quickly picked up the robotic teeth with a happy little squeal, eager to probe them for all the information they had to offer. She smiled over at Hordak, expression growing rather soft. “Thanks, Hordak. I wish you an efficient deactivation cycle too, and pleasant REM cycles as well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with us on this wild ride! The next chapter should be out soon! I’d like to take a moment to thank all of the kindhearted people who left kudos and reviews on chapter one! It really helped me through the writer’s block! So thank you! You are beautiful and I love you! ~Blue

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for making it this far! I know! A cliffhanger! But it's fine. Next chapter is in the works. I had lost a lot of steam for writing this after the next seasons aired, but AburameQueen3 pushed me to post anyway! I hope you enjoyed it, there will be more! Soooooooo much more!
> 
> If you have time, please drop a comment below. Even if it's simply one word, it really helps with motivation to write!


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